Q&A with Henrietta Lovell, the Rare Tea Lady
Henrietta Lovell, a.k.a. the Rare Tea Lady, is on a mission to revolutionize how we think about tea, including iced tea. Founder of the Rare Tea Company and author of Infused: Adventures in Tea, Lovell has spent decades sourcing small-batch, sustainable teas and educating people on how to experience the elevated, nuanced flavors they offer.
Henrietta argues that cold extractions can be just as good as hot tea, and sometimes even better, if you keep the basics – quality sourcing and proper preparation – in mind. In this Q&A, Tea Journey writer Meagan Francis dives into Henrietta’s recommendations for creating complex and delicious cold-infused and iced teas, just in time for National Iced Tea Month.
Meagan: When sourcing tea for cold infusions or iced tea, is there anything specific you look for?
Henrietta: Most teas can be used for cold extraction, actually. I don’t necessarily go looking for something specific to be iced. It’s more that I’m constantly tasting and experimenting. Sometimes I come across a tea that may not blow me away when brewed hot — but I’ll have a hunch that it might really shine cold. So I give it a go. That’s part of the joy.
Interestingly, even some broken-leaf or more astringent teas, which might be less enjoyable hot without milk or sugar, can taste surprisingly beautiful when cold-extracted. The process draws out a different character from the leaf.
Meagan: So it’s less about finding the “perfect iced tea leaf” and more about how you prepare it?
Henrietta: Exactly. It’s the method that matters more than the tea itself. A high-quality tea will always yield something interesting, but what you extract, and how stable it is, depends on how you treat the leaf.
When you use hot water, you rupture the tea’s cell structure. It’s like slicing an apple; it begins to oxidize, and the flavor degrades over time. That’s why a hot-brewed tea that’s chilled later often loses complexity and tastes flat unless it’s masked by sugar or syrup.
With cold extraction, the cell walls stay intact. You’re not damaging the leaf; you’re allowing a gentle process to unfold, pulling out amino acids and cold-water-soluble polyphenols in a much more stable way.
Meagan: For those of us who haven’t read science books since high school, can you explain what’s happening on a chemical level?
Henrietta: (laughs) Think back to biology class and osmosis. The cell wall of a tea leaf is semi-permeable. So, when there’s a concentration gradient—say, all these flavorful compounds inside the leaf and plain water on the outside—nature wants to balance it out. The flavors gently pass through the membrane without the violence of boiling water.
This is why cold-extracted tea, left overnight or for 8–12 hours, depending on the tea, gives you something really elegant and stable. It can stay in your fridge for a couple of days without changing dramatically in taste. That’s not true for most hot-brewed iced teas.
Meagan: Something like 85% of tea consumed in the United States is iced. And most of it is…disappointing. How do we change that dynamic?
Henrietta: It hurts me that people just don’t realize how beautiful cold tea can be. But there’s so much that people don’t know about tea! So, I don’t think we should chastise them for not knowing. We just need to invite them in: “If you like that, wait till you try this.” There’s a better world waiting.
Meagan: Are there types of teas that don’t work well for cold infusion?
Henrietta: Herbal infusions, especially those high in essential oils or woody materials, are often better when consumed hot. Their cell structures are different, and hot water is more effective at extracting those intense oils. But for Camellia sinensis, cold extraction works brilliantly. You get all the nuance without bitterness.
That said, you do need to play with the ratio. If you use too much leaf, even a cold infusion can become astringent. But typically, the sweet, caramel, and soft notes come through before any bitterness. You get this round, complex flavor that’s just delicious.
Meagan: Let’s get into the practical application. What’s your recommended method for making cold-infused tea?
Henrietta: Cold infusing is so simple. Use 6 grams of tea per liter of cold, filtered water. Stir or shake gently, then let it sit in the fridge for 8–12 hours. After that, strain the leaves and enjoy. It’s that easy.
If you’re pairing with food or you want something a little bolder, you can increase the concentration slightly. I sometimes go up to 7 or 8 grams per liter, but you’ll want to taste as you go. For black teas, you might need 12 to 15 grams per liter.
Meagan: And you really get a stable drink that lasts a few days?
Henrietta: Yes, that’s one of the great advantages. Unlike a hot infusion, which oxidizes quickly and needs to be consumed fresh, a cold extract is much more stable. You can prepare a batch and store it in the fridge for two to three days without losing flavor. That’s very useful for home use and in restaurants.
Meagan: What are your thoughts on sun tea?
Henrietta: It’s charming, but it’s not precise. You can’t control the temperature, and the strength of the extraction depends on how sunny it is, what kind of container you’re using, and where it’s placed. So, if you want consistency, especially in a professional setting, you’re better off using a fridge where the temperature is controlled. Also, I avoid plastic containers; I don’t want to leach nanoplastics into a beautiful tea.
Meagan: You’ve worked with chefs like David Chang on beverages featuring cold-infused tea. What does that look like?
Henrietta: Yes! I met Dave Chang years ago at the MAD Symposium in Copenhagen. He said, “Americans drink iced tea. I want a great one, not some sugary rubbish.” That led us to develop cold-infused teas for Momofuku SSAM Bar* and Booker and Dax, the cocktail bar behind it.
See: SSAM Menu
That was in the early 2000s, and it was a revelation. Dave Arnold, who ran the bar, was brilliant. We treated tea like you would a fine spirit: precise, thoughtful, experimental.
Meagan: The conversation about how a beverage’s temperature can bring out some flavors while flattening others reminds me a bit of wine.
Henrietta: There are so many parallels between tea and wine, and it helps me to talk to sommeliers and wine lovers to understand the way they look at their beloved treasure. If we treated tea with the same respect and curiosity that we do wine, the world would be a very different place. And maybe we’re getting there.
Meagan: Any final thoughts for someone looking to elevate their iced tea experience at home or in their restaurant?
Henrietta: Use good tea, measure it well, and don’t rush it. Let it steep cold, slowly, and with care. You’ll be amazed at what you taste.
Henrietta Lovell’s Tips for Perfect Cold-Infused Tea
- Use 6g tea per 1 liter of water (12 to 15g for black teas)
- Steep in the fridge for 8–12 hours
- Strain and store in glass (avoid plastic)
- Experiment with bolder ratios for food pairings
- Best enjoyed within 2–3 days of infusion
*Momofuku closed the SSAM Bar in 2020 due to building issues. Momofuku closed its Wayo Bar in the Seaport in 2020 to make way for SSAM 2.0
